Winter Wonderland
by Victoria Ivy Bennet
Summary: The Man in the Moon informs the Guardians that Rapunzel, the crown princess of Corona, might have the power to defeat Pitch. The only question is, will it actually destroy him? Only one way to find out!
1. Frosted Window Panes

She felt a light chill touch her face, bringing her out of her sweet slumber. But she wasn't prepared for what she saw when she opened her eyes. A boy around her age was actually floating over her, and he was touching her face. His ice-blue eyes flew open in surprise when she gasped, and flew out the window. She rushed to the window, just in time to watch him disappear into the clouds.

The next day, she told her family of her encounter with the pale boy. "I know it was Jack Frost, mother, it couldn't have been anyone else!" she said for the umpteenth time since she began her story. "There's no one else I know who can be as cold to the touch as him!"

Her father harrumphed, "Well Rapunzel, if you ever see him again, tell him to stay away from you and your siblings. I don't want my children frozen to death."

"Father, I don't think he'll freeze us, he didn't last night," giggled Rapunzel.

"I would like to meet him," piped up Rapunzel's younger brother, Jaime.

"Me too, me too!" giggled little Sophie, the youngest of the family.

Their parents glanced at each other, and their mother nodded. "Very well then, as long as he doesn't let it get too cold," their father sighed.

"Father, it's not like he's a wild dog, and I really don't think he'll freeze us. Remember, I said that hee didn't last night," remarked Rapunzel.

"That's true, but that would be my only condition, even if it is one that he already abides by," came the reply.

"Yes, Father," the children chorused.

"Alright then, there's still a lot that needs to be done to be ready in time for Christmas, so we'd better get started on things. Rapunzel, get started on that knitting. Jaime, you'll help out your father with the presents and the cards."  
Sophie interrupted, "What about me, mommy, what about me?"  
Her mother picked her up for a hug, "You'll be helping me with the grocery shopping today, Sophie."  
"Yippee!"

Everyone laughed. "Also, after dinner, we'll do some more painting, alright, Rapunzel?" Her mother smiled knowingly.  
Rapunzel returned the smile, "Sounds great, mother!" The family then separated to tend to their assignments. Later that evening, Jaime and Sophie were tucked into bed, while Rapunzel finished on her painting in her room. Her mother noticed that it was of a boy she had never met, and figured it was the spirit of winter, Jack Frost.

"Is that what he looks like?" she asked Rapunzel.

Without looking up, Rapunzel replied, "Yes, or well, as close as I can get, I saw him at night so the colors won't be accurate."

"It looks good nonetheless, Rapunzel. And from your painting, he looks like a nice fellow, rather handsome too, if I do say so myself," her mother grinned, which got wider as she noticed the slight blush in Rapunzel's cheeks.

"I guess he is handsome, I hadn't really thought about it before," muttered Rapunzel.

Her mother chuckled, "Well, as soon as you finish this, it's off to bed, alright? Remember, you'll need all the rest you can get, we still have a lot to do in preparation for Christmas."  
"Alright, I'm almost done anyway, so it won't take long. Goodnight mother," Rapunzel hugged her.  
"Goodnight dear, sweet dreams." Her mother gave her another hug before leaving her to finish the painting. Rapunzel spent some more time on the painting before sitting back, pleased with the end result. She placed the picture next to a glass cage, from which she took out a lizard.

"Well Pascal, what do you think?" she asked, showing off her new piece to her little friend.

"I think it looks really good." She gasped and swirled to see the owner of the voice. There he was, perched on her window-sill, the palest boy she had ever seen. He jumped into her room and approached her. "Considering there was no light in the room, you did a pretty good job." He grinned at her.

"Uh, thanks. Um, Father says that we may talk as long as you don't bring the temperature down too low," she began.  
"Really?" he raised his eyebrow.

"My father doesn't want us frozen to death," she replied, rather meekly, not wanting to hurt the boy's feelings. But he only burst out laughing.

"I won't freeze you, I didn't last night, but I shall respect your father's wishes. I'll stay by the window if he's so worried about it." Still chuckling, he flew back to his perch on her windowsill. His face then became gloomy, "I just hope I can still do it from here."

"Do what, and why were you in my room last night, anyway?" she asked.

"To answer both of your questions, I was chasing away nightmares. I'm a Guardian, and that's what we do," he replied.  
"Oh, really? Well, thanks. We? Who are the other Guardians?"

"You know them already, Santa Claus, the Man in the Moon, Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, Sandman, and Mother Goose. We're the Guardians of Childhood, we protect children from bad guys like the Nightmare King and his minions."

"Really? All of them are Guardians too?" she asked in amazement.

He nodded, "Yup."  
"Wow, amazing! Who's the Summer Spirit?"

He blinked, "Say what?"  
"You're the spirit of autumn and winter, isn't there a spirit for spring and summer?"

He shrugged, "The only one I can think of is Mother Nature."  
"But she's in charge of all the seasons, you have only autumn and winter."

"That's true. Huh, now that you mention it, I don't think there is a specific spirit for spring and summer like me, Mother Nature just took care of all of that. So, I guess you could say that Mother Nature is the spirit of spring and summer."

"But she's not one of the Guardians?"

"No, I don't think she's gotten back to Man in the Moon and Santa Claus about that. I'm sure they've asked her, but they haven't heard anything from her."

"You know the Man in the Moon and Santa Claus?" exclaimed a voice from behind Rapunzel. Jack and Rapunzel looked at her doorway, there stood her younger siblings in their pajamas.

Jack chuckled, "Yes, I do, as well as the Easter Bunny, the Sandman, Mother Goose, and the Tooth Fairy. May I ask, who are you?"

"Oh, these are my younger siblings, Jaime and Sophie. Jaime, Sophie, meet Jack Frost," said Rapunzel.

"Cool," said the two.

"We'll be visited by Santa Claus on Christmas, Jaime and I want to stay up and see him," stated Sophie.

"Uh, I don't know if that's a good idea, it could slow Santa down. And it wouldn't be as big of a surprise then, now would it?" Jack grinned at them.

Jaime groaned, "But I want to see Santa. I want to meet all of them."  
"You know, we could, if you wanted," began Jack.

Rapunzel glanced at warily, "What are you getting at, Jack?"

"Santa called for a meeting of the Guardians tonight, why don't you come with me and meet them? I'll have you back here before your parents know you were even gone. What do you think?"

"Yes! But, how are we getting there? We can't fly!" said Jaime.

"Jaime! We need to ask our parents before we go anywhere! They need to know that we'll be alright!" exclaimed Rapunzel.

"We can leave them a note, besides, Jack said that he could have us back here before they wake up. Please Rapunzel, I don't want Jack to be late to his meeting, and this is too good a chance to pass up!" pleaded Jaime.  
"Please Rapunzel," added Sophie, the two grabbing onto her hands.

Rapunzel sighed, "Alright, fine, but you two should get dressed. I'll write the note while you do that."  
"Yay! Thanks Rapunzel!" The two took off towards their rooms while Rapunzel got a sheet of paper and wrote on it.

"You know, this will probably get us all into trouble," remarked Rapunzel.

Jack chuckled, "Well, I am a Guardian, it's my job to keep the children happy, so, if meeting the rest of the Guardians will make their day, then that's what I'll do. I'll take the blame, so don't worry about a thing." He smiled at her, then glanced out the window.

"Fine then. By the way, you didn't answer Jaime's question, how are we getting to the North Pole? What are you looking for?" She had noticed he was looking out the window.

He glanced back, "Our ride." By then, Jaime and Sophie came into the room, all ready to go. Jack then motioned for them to come closer. "I'll take you down to the ground, one at a time. And you shall have to do as I say, no questions asked, and no noise, alright?" They nodded in agreement. "OK, Jaime, I'll carry you down first, then Sophie, and finally Rapunzel. I want you to stay where you are until we're all together, alright?"

"OK," they said in unison. He then picked up Jaime, and flew down with him to the ground. He came back quickly and scooped up Sophie, who gave a little giggle as he took her down. While she waited for him to come back, Rapunzel finished up the note and placed it in a spot where her parents were sure to see it. She then slipped on her shoes and grabbed her favorite jacket, Pascal crawling into one of the pockets. She was back by the window when Jack came back for her.  
"You ready?" he asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be," she replied. He nodded, and picked her up. She was surprised at the flight, it was short but fun and a bit exhilarating. His feet had no sooner touched the ground than they heard some grumblings.

"Ah, they're here, be ready," whispered Jack. The three crouched behind one of the lawn decorations that Jack was standing next to. Then two large furry creatures came out of the shadows opposite of where Jack was standing. "Oh, hey Phil, what's up? Do we really have to do the whole bag thing again?" Jack groaned. One of the creatures made the same noise that they heard before, it sounded unintelligible but Jack seemed to understand that it was saying something. "Oh fine, but this better be the last time. I'm a Guardian, I shouldn't have to be treated like I'm some newbie to some secret society or something. Wait, is that a Nightmare?" The two creatures looked behind them, ready for action. Jack seized the moment and helped the sibling get into the bag. Rapunzel managed to pull Sophie in just in time as the creatures seemed to have turned around as they sounded angry at Jack. Rapunzel grew worried, had the creatures figured out Jack's ruse? "Sorry, but you can never be sure with the shadows. Fine, fine, I'm getting in, I'm getting in." He crawled into the bag with the three, at whom he grinned and winked. Then the bag was picked up, and tossed right back onto the ground, the children spilling out.

"Ow!"  
"Hey! Let go of my hair!"

"Sophie, you're sitting on my arm!"

"Get off of me!"  
"What's the meaning of this?" bellowed a voice. It quieted the children long enough to look up and see who was talking.


	2. Sleigh Ride

"Well, Jack Frost, care to explain yourself?" the fairy glared at the Winter Spirit. She wasn't the only one either, the giant rabbit was glaring at him, and Mother Goose had crossed her arms, as they waited for an answer. The yetis, as the children found that the creatures were called, were taking them on a tour of Santa's workshop while the Guardians had their meeting. Jack, though, was annoyed at the question, after he and the Corona children had already answered all of North's questions when they first arrived.

"About that . . . you see, they wanted to meet you guys, so I obliged," shrugged Jack.

"What are we going to do with you, mate? You can't just bring every child who wants to meet us to every meeting," Bunnymund blatantly stated. "As soon as we're done here, we're bringing them back home."

Jack sighed, "Fine, just give them a chance to say hi, and I'll take them home."

"We'll take them home, you can only carry one child at a time, Jack," North pointed out. Then he grinned, "Besides, I'm sure they wouldn't mind a ride in the sleigh."

Jack chuckled, "No, I'm sure they wouldn't mind. So, why exactly are we meeting tonight?"  
"Actually, that is the reason why I have no problems with the children being here tonight. They'll be safer here," began North.

"Whoa, wait, you mean he did the right thing by bringing them here tonight?" Bunny asked incredulously.  
"I actually did something right?" Jack almost whispered his question. Sandy, Katherine, and Tooth just stared at North.  
"North, what do you mean? Is it Pitch?" asked Katherine.

North nodded, "Pitch is mounting an attack against Corona. He's always hated the country of the sun, it's just that he's now doing something about it. But Manny and I think that there's another reason."  
"What is is it?" Jack asked, worry starting to creep into his voice.

"The crown princess, Rapunzel, may have the power of the sun in her hair. That would explain why it is so unique, and why it cannot be cut," North stated.

"That would explain a lot, and Pitch would go after her. If the power of the sun lives within her, he can't let her live or he could be defeated," Katherine added.

"But how did she receive that power? Neither of her parents have it," Jack wondered.

"Manny found out that the sun sent a drop of its power to Earth, and it manifested in a flower. It was a sign from the sun that this country was under its protection. The Queen was having difficulties during her pregnancy with Rapunzel, so the sun told the King to give her the flower as it would heal her and Rapunzel."

"What about the little girl, Sophie? She's got blonde hair too, just like Rapunzel," Tooth pointed out.

"Hm, good point, Tooth, but I think the majority of that power is in Rapunzel. Sophie might have some, but not as much as Rapunzel, it would seem."  
"In which case, both could be in danger. Well, mate, what are we to do?"

"I think we need to have a Guardian watching over them at all times. Christmas is a few days away, and Katherine has offered to help with preparations, which means that we won't be available all the time. We'll help out whenever and wherever possible, but don't expect much until Christmas is over."

"Well, Sandy and I still have dreams and teeth to take care of every day. Not to mention that Jack has to take care of the weather," said Tooth.

"That is true, which means, Bunny, you'll have to keep an extra sharp eye on them. I'm sure that Tooth, Sandy, Jack, and even Manny will help you out as much as possible, but for the most part, you're on your own," said North.

"Sounds fine by me, have something to do between now and Easter. Oh, and as long as Frosty doesn't freeze me to death when his turn comes, I'll be fine," Bunny glanced at Jack.

Jack laughed, "Fine, Kangaroo, I'll keep the cold weather to a minimum."  
"Oi, quit it with the Kangaroo!"

"Once you stop calling me Frosty," Jack grinned.

"Well at least Frosty is related to Frost, Kangaroo is a totally different animal!"

The two weren't able to continue their argument as the yetis and the royal siblings burst through the door.  
"What have I told you about knocking?" North berated the yeti. The children sank to the floor, trying to catch their breath, while the yetis told North something. "What?" He walked out of the room, followed by the other Guardians. Bunny and Jack had paused to check on Rapunzel, Jamie, and Sophie before they followed. "In answer to your earlier question, Bunny, Jack did do the right thing by taking the children here." He paused, a worried look passed over his face as he looked at the globe, one section acting all weird. "Everyone to the sleigh, now!" He rushed towards a set of doors, everyone following him. The yetis and the elves got the sleigh ready in no time, and the siblings piled in along with the Guardians. They took off through the tunnel, and saw how North used a magic snow-globe to go anywhere. They reached the palace, with smoke rising from the towers.

"No!" screamed Rapunzel. If Jack hadn't held her back, she would have fallen to the ground, a good forty-foot drop. Jamie and Sophie just sat and stared in horror at what used to be their home only an hour before. North landed the sleigh just inside the castle walls.

"Jack, Tooth, Katherine, you stay here with the children, we'll go inside and see if we can find the King and Queen. If they come to the sleigh, send a fairy to come and get us," ordered North, as Bunny and Sandy followed him into action. The three raced inside, while Katherine began reading a story to calm down their nerves. Before long they heard a chorus of "wow". They looked out to their right and saw a group of children huddled around a young man.

'Eugene! Have you seen my parents?" Rapunzel asked the young man.

His face turned grim, "They were taken by the dark horses that attacked the palace."


	3. Bells Are Ringing

"But what are we to do then? We can't just leave them in Pitch's clutches!" Tears streamed down Rapunzel's face as she faced the Guardians.

"I know, we are trying to figure out a way to bring them back without bringing harm to them, to you, or to your siblings," North replied.

"Please, just make the exchange, he wants me," said Rapunzel.

"Exactly, he's just not going to let your parents go either. This is a perfect scenario for him, once he has you, Jamie, and Sophie in his clutches, he can destroy the sunlight in your hair as well as the whole royal family of Corona, the one country he hates the most. He would win for sure, besides, I don't think your parents would want you to put your life in danger for them," said Katherine.

Rapunzel glanced down, sighing, "No, they wouldn't want that. Isn't there anyway to get them to safety?"

"Seems to me like the only option is to storm Pitch's lair," blurted Eugene. He glanced at the faces, "What?"

"We can't do that either, Pitch might destroy them just to spite us," explained North.

"But I don't think he would kill them, he's sure that Rapunzel would exchange herself for her parents' freedom," pointed out Jack.

"And he's right, I would do it," muttered Rapunzel. She glanced up at Jack, then at the others, "I'd do it without a second thought."

North opened his mouth, then closed it, rubbing his chin. He walked towards the door, and opened it to a pile of children tumbling in.

"You're rather persistent, aren't you, mates?" Bunny asked, as he hopped over to help the children up. The others joined him, and soon all seven were on their feet.

"Yes, you are talking about mine and Sophie's parents too, you know. I want to help get them back," said Jamie.

North looked into the boy's eyes, "Very well, we'll need all the help we can get in figuring out a plan. Maybe with your help, we can come up with something."

They spent hours thinking of every possible idea to use to rescue the King and Queen without risking the children's safety. Before long, seven youngsters were sound asleep. The yetis brought in blankets and pillows for them, and tucked them in.

"Rapunzel, you should get some rest," Jack said, noticing her droopy eyes.

"Sounds like a good idea to me," remarked Eugene, who marched over to an area already set up. He crawled in between the covers, and was snoring away.

Jack rolled his eyes. "At least he had the right idea. You should follow suit," he turned to the blonde.

"No, not until we can get mother and father back," Rapunzel yawned. Jack didn't say a word, only guided her to the last spot with a pillow and blankets ready. He tucked her in, and before long, she too was sound asleep.

"You really like that girl, don't you?" said a voice from behind him.

"Who said I liked her?" Jack jumped up, aware that he was feeling a little warmer than usual.

North chuckled, "Just the way you look at her, and the way in which you take care of her. It's kind of obvious. Let's just hope Pitch is too busy to notice." His usual mirth vanished from his eyes, but only for a second.

"Yeah, well, I don't plan to let him near her. So, is it really that obvious?" Jack asked sheepishly.

North laughed, "Only to knowing eyes." He winked at Jack, then glanced at Katherine who was busy going over some books with Ombric.  
"Oh," muttered Jack.  
Sandy then came and tugged on North's sleeve. "What is it Sandy, you have an idea?" asked North as Sandy showed some images of a light-bulb and an arrow pointing towards the table where the rest of the Guardians had gathered.  
"Well, let's hear, I mean, see what you've got, Sandy," Jack replied.  
Sandy began pointing arrows at himself and Tooth when everyone was at the table, their attention on him. "What about us?" asked Tooth.  
Sandy showed an image of himself and Tooth fighting Pitch and his Nightmares, moving away from a hole, while North and Bunny went into the hole behind Pitch's back. "Ah, a diversion," muttered North.  
"But, didn't we go over that already? Pitch would always have some Nightmares on guard in case we would try something like that, and whoever went in would have the whole army on top of him a few minutes after the alarm was sounded," pointed out Jack.  
"He's got a point," said Bunny. Sandy held up his hand for silence, then showed an image of Jack and Rapunzel.  
"Uh, why am I holding her hand?" Jack asked.  
"I thought we were trying to figure out a way to keep her out of this?" Ombric quickly inquired.  
Everyone nodded, but before anyone could say another word, Sandy moved on to another image, that of Jack and Rapunzel standing with him and Tooth before Pitch. He made the picture bigger, showing North and Bunny close to the King and Queen's cell. Then, North and Bunny attacked the guards and got the King and Queen out, while Jack, Sandy, and Tooth flew off with Rapunzel, leaving Pitch confused, and a bit angry.

"Hmm, that might work," said North.  
"I don't know, that's putting Rapunzel way too close to him," said Jack.  
"I hate to have to say this, but I agree with Frosty, that is a little too close," grumbled Bunny.  
"Well, what are we going to do!? There doesn't seem to be a plan that will keep Rapunzel safe as well as her family!" exclaimed Tooth.  
"We do need to come up with a plan now, Pitch won't wait for long," remarked Katherine.  
"That is true, but we have to work something out to where we can keep everyone safe. Let's go over every plan we've been through already, and see if there's one we might have missed," North suggested.  
Everyone agreed and began going through all the papers, all the ideas that were brought to light. Before long, Jack was getting restless.  
"What's the matter, show-pony, all this paperwork too much for ya?" Bunny jeered.  
"No, it's just that, something doesn't seem right, and it's driving me nuts that I can't think of what it is," the concern in Jack's voice was noticeable.  
"Do you think that a break can help you, Jack?" North turned to him.  
Jack looked more concerned by the minute, "Maybe, it's worth trying. Thanks North." He flew towards the door, then paused. He glanced back at the make-shift beds, his eyes looking over each one. North saw the move and soon joined him.  
"What is it?" he whispered. Jack didn't answer, just hovered over each bed. A little breeze ruffled the blankets, causing the inhabitants to adjust to keep the cold out. There was movement under every blanket, except for one.


	4. That Road Before Us

A note came out of the last make-shift bed, and Jack grabbed it like a crazed animal. North took the note from his shaking hands, and read it, "Dear Jack, Guardians, thank you for wanting to help me and my family, but Pitch wants me, and I will grant his wish. I know what he might do to me, so this could be goodbye. I'm sorry, but there seemed to be no other way. Please make sure my siblings get home safe and sound, and I wish you the best of luck in defeating Pitch. And, thank you, Jack, for granting Jamie's wish. Best of luck, Rapunzel." There was complete silence as they realized that the princess had made the choice.  
"She can't have gone far, we might be able to stop her," said Tooth, when a yeti burst through the door and began mumbling.  
"Wait, what? Slow down!" North told him. The yeti slowed down long enough for North to translate for the others, "A Nightmare was waiting outside to take her away. We are too late. I'm sorry, Jack. Jack?" Everyone searched as quietly as they could for the Winter Spirit, but he had disappeared just as quickly as Rapunzel.  
"Blast that bloody show-pony, why did he leave without us?" grumbled Bunny, when everyone met back up at the globe.  
"It doesn't matter, we have to go after them. Ready the sleigh! We've no time to lose!" North commanded. The others followed him to the sleigh, which was readied quickly. North then turned to Katherine and Ombric, "I need you to stay here and keep an eye on the youngsters."  
"But what will we tell them?" asked Katherine.  
North smiled at her, "That we are going to save the King and the Queen." He kisses her forehead, then jumps into the sleigh, where Bunny, Tooth, and Sandy were waiting.  
"Wait!" shouted a voice from the doorway. Eugene came dashing into the room and jumped into the sleigh. "I'm coming with you."  
"No, it is too dangerous for anyone who is not a Guardian," North stated.  
"But Rapunzel isn't a Guardian," blurted Eugene.  
"She very well could be," North said rather mysteriously.  
"Either way, I'm coming. The King and Queen took me and my sister in when we were orphaned. It would be the least I could to do to repay them for everything they did for us, and all the orphans," said Eugene.  
North looked at him for several seconds before replying, "You may come, but you must do as we say, or else all is lost. Are we clear?" Eugene nodded. "Good, let's go, we've wasted too much time already. Hiya!" The reindeer took off, leaving Katherine and Ombric to watch them disappear.

Katherine looked at Ombric, "We need a back-up plan in case Pitch decides to attack the Pole or if we need to help the others. Any suggestions?"  
Ombric grinned at her, "I still have one or two tricks up my sleeve. We should get started though."  
"Right," replied Katherine, as she followed Ombric back into the workshop.

What they didn't notice was a black horse speed off into the distance, not too long after the sleigh left, but it overtook the sleigh and reached its destination long before the sleigh was halfway. It dashed down a hole, where it joined its brethren around a tall, dark man. He turned to listen to the horse's report. "Good, they're on their way. Ready the prisoners. I can't wait to see the look on their faces, especially Frost, when they see my little surprise for them. This will be so much fun," he said, a devilish smile forming on his face, which then turned into creepy laughter.


	5. Are You Listening

The sleigh managed to catch up to Jack Frost after a while. "Jack, get in!" shouted North.  
"No!" he shouted back.  
"Come on Jack! We don't have time to argue about this, we've got to get going!" North responded.  
"Where are you going?" Jack asked, slowing down a bit.  
"To save your princess and her parents, mate," grinned Bunny. Jack paused for a bit, letting the info sink in, then jumped in beside Sandy.  
"Alright, I want to go to Pitch's lair," North told his snow-globe. A minute later, they were staring down a black hole in the ground. "Jack, where are you going?" North asked the Winter Spirit as he jumped out of the sleigh. He ran to a tree and came back with a piece of paper in his hands. He handed it to North, who read it, "I will meet you at the highest cliff in the world. You know where it is, North." It was signed with Pitch's name.  
"The highest cliff in the world, why there?" asked Eugene.  
"He must have something to show us," muttered North, who saw the growing fear in Jack's eyes. "Back in the sleigh, we've got to get to a cliff!" North ordered. He whispered to the snow-globe, and before they knew it, they were facing the largest cliff any of them had seen, and it was surrounded by Nightmares. There wasn't any resistance as they came in, the Nightmares had moved aside to let them through. North kept glancing at Jack. His face was like stone, but North could see the fear in his eyes. He leaned over and whispered, "If you're afraid, then Pitch has already won." Jack glanced up at him, and nodded. They reached the edge of the cliff, and saw Pitch standing there with his three prisoners.  
"Well, well, took you long enough. I figured I would give you guys a deal, if you defeat me, you can have them back. But if I win, not only will I destroy them, I also want you to stop bringing your hope, wonder, and dreams to the world. Have we got ourselves a deal?" Pitch grinned at them.  
"Here is my deal Pitch, if we win, you will leave the children of the world alone, no more nightmares. If you win, we will stop doing what we do best, but the royal family stays alive," came North's reply.  
"Now, now, North, you know I can't leave them alive. Well, at least I can't leave Rapunzel alive when I win. You know why," Pitch glanced over at Jack as he spoke. "Well then, since we can't come to agreements on what to do with the royal family, we'll just have to wait until the end to see what will become of them, shall we?" At those words, the Nightmares started attacking the sleigh. They were able to fend off most of them, but others were attacking the reindeer.  
"Sandy, Tooth, we have to draw some of these away!" Jack shouted as he took off into the sky. Sandy followed, though he stayed close to the reindeer, while Tooth joined Jack as they battled the Nightmares higher in the sky. North gave Eugene a sword, and the two battled Nightmares as they came at the front while Bunny fended them off in the back. The battle seemed to drag on as horde after horde of Nightmares attacked the Guardians, not to mention Eugene was starting to get tired.  
"We have to come up with a new battle plan, mates!" Bunny shouted to his friends.  
"But what can we do?" asked Tooth, as she and Jack made a sweep through the Nightmares by the sleigh.  
"I don't know, but we'll need to come up with something quick!" Bunny replied.  
"Here, Eugene, take a rest and figure out a plan for us, we have got to get to the royal family!" North ordered, taking the sword from him and fighting even harder than before.  
"OK, I'll try!" Eugene said, as he looked around to figure out the best possible action.  
Then, everything stopped as Pitch began to laugh. Everyone looked to where he stood on the cliff, with Rapunzel. "Sorry to have to break our deal so early, but this needs to be done. Oh, and what was that phrase again, killing two birds with one stone? Well, this will be close enough."  
Jack screamed, "No!"


	6. Candles Gleaming Inside

The Nightmares held Jack back as Pitch let Rapunzel fall off the cliff. Jack screamed again, and this time, he took action. He let an icy burst of wind tear through the Nightmares surrounding him, then took off to catch Rapunzel.  
"We need to back him up! Sandy, Tooth, make sure Jack has a clear path to Rapunzel! Bunny, Eugene, let's see if we can't get some of those Nightmares over here!" North shouted out. They leaped into action, Sandy and Tooth paving the way for Jack while North, Bunny, and Eugene cut through as many Nightmares as they could from the sleigh. Jack heard Pitch's laugh, and glanced up to see that the Nightmare King was following him. Jack sped up, not interested in letting Pitch have his way. Meanwhile, North had pulled the sleigh alongside the cliff, and beckoned to the King and Queen, "Get in, quickly!" Eugene helped them in, and cut their bonds. Then, Bunny gave the Queen a boomerang while North gave the King a sword. "We have to make sure Jack can save Rapunzel! Cut down as many Nightmares as you can!" North got the sleigh moving again, giving everyone on board a chance at hitting Nightmares. He then glanced down at the scene below, Jack was closer to Rapunzel, but Pitch wasn't too far behind. Jack was starting to panic, Rapunzel was getting too close to the rocks. He was just a few feet away from her, and she a few feet away from the bottom. That's when he reached out, and caught her in the nook of his staff. He brought her close, and held her tight. A good thing too, as Pitch blasted him from behind. Jack managed to keep the two of them from ramming into the cliff face, but that gave him little time to counteract Pitch's next attack. He quickly threw a burst of cold air in front of himself and Rapunzel, just barely stopping the attack. When the dust cleared, Jack found himself surrounded by Nightmares, with Pitch facing him.  
"Well, Jack Frost, it looks like this is the end for you and your little princess. And if I don't kill you, then you'll kill each other. She can't handle the cold anymore than you can handle the heat," Pitch sneered.  
Rapunzel turned to face the Nightmare King, "I don't care, Jack will protect me and my family, and that's all I'm worried about."  
"And I would rather feel pain and death all over again than have anyone harm them," came Jack's response through gritted teeth.  
"Well, I can grant Jack's wish, and prove you wrong Rapunzel. Shall we being?" grinned Pitch.

"No!" came a chorus of voices. Jack, Rapunzel, and Pitch looked up. Sandy and Tooth came rushing down, followed by the sleigh.  
"Rapunzel, you must use your powers, it's the only way to defeat him!" North shouted.  
"But I don't know how to get them to work! Ah!" Rapunzel screamed, as Jack dodged Nightmares  
"Yes you do! The rhyme!" her mother responded.  
"But that's for healing!"  
"Rapunzel, Pitch is more afraid of light than anything else, and your hair glows when you say the rhyme!" her father said.  
Rapunzel glanced at Jack, "Well, it's worth a try."  
Jack nodded, "Then try it."  
"Flower gleam and glow,  
Let your power shine,  
Make the clock reverse,

Bring back what once was mine.  
Heal what has been hurt,  
Change the fates' design  
Save what has been lost,

Bring back what once was mine,

What once was mine." Rapunzel's hair began glowing, and destroyed whatever Nightmares touched it. However, once she finished the song, it didn't stay bright for very long, giving the Nightmares an advantage.  
"Oh man, now what do we do?" asked Jack, as he dodged and blasted Nightmare after Nightmare.  
"I'll just keep singing it!" replied Rapunzel. "It's the only way! Unless . . ."  
"Unless what?"  
"Jack, I need you to keep them off of me for a few minutes," Rapunzel pleaded.  
"What are you going to do?" Jack asked, as he brought her back to the cliff, the sleigh unreachable at the moment.  
"Think of a new rhyme," she replied with determination. Jack looked at her for a little while, then nodded and floated around her, fending off the Nightmares as they approached.  
Rapunzel turned to thinking quickly, she had little time. Jack was really good at defeating Nightmares, but they would overrun him soon enough, especially once Pitch finally figured out where she was. North held his attention at the moment, but she knew that wouldn't last for long. She thought as hard as she could, as long as she could, she was running out of time fast and unable to think of anything. She glanced at Jack to see how he was doing, and remembered how she felt in his arms. Sure, she was cold, but she knew she was safe, she was fine. Her eyes widened. "That's it!" Then she heard Jack yell, she glanced up in time to see him fall. Pitch had broken from his battle with North and took him by surprise. "No, Jack!" she screamed. Pitch turned to look at her with his evil, hate-filled eyes and rushed at her. She knew that she had to do then to save everyone, including herself.  
"Flower, gleam and glow;  
Let your power shine,  
Chase the fears away  
Let them know they're fine,  
We all are fine."

Her hair began glowing like it did before, but this time, it got brighter and brighter, until it was so bright that everyone had to close their eyes.


	7. Snow is Glistening

Jack flew around, freezing just about everything in sight. Spring was right around the corner, but he wasn't ready to let go, not just yet. Though, now he would have to get permission from her if he wanted to bring some snow into Spring. Jack rolled his eyes as he told the wind to take him home. The wind picked him up and flew him over the clouds, dropping him off at a tower some time later. "Honey, I'm home!" He couldn't keep the surprise off his face when she appeared in the doorway. She was wearing a full-length, pink ball gown with purple floral print on the bodice, and a crown of purple and pink flowers adorned her hair.  
"Well, do you like it?," she asked when she saw the look on his face.  
"You look gorgeous," he finally managed to say.  
She giggled, "Why, thank you, but whatever happened to your usual eloquence?" She winked.  
He grinned, then flew towards her and gave her a quick kiss. "So, what's the occasion?"  
She glanced at him, "What, did you forget already? Eugene's getting married. Change into your suit, and let's get going!" She wrapped her long hair around the beam at the window, and used it to lower herself to the ground. Jack was by her side a second later, all decked out in a purple suit.  
"Don't you want a ride?" he asked her.  
She grinned at him, "I thought you'd never ask."

He then picked her up, held her close, and told the wind, "Take us to Corona castle!" A minute later, they landed on a balcony, where a group of people were standing around.  
"Jack, Rapunzel, you made it!" a young man rushed forward.  
"We wouldn't have missed this for the world, Eugene," replied Rapunzel, giving him a hug.  
"And some best man I would be if I didn't show up," grinned Jack. The three laughed as they moved towards the crowd.  
"Yeah, that would be funny now, wouldn't it, mate?" asked a voice from behind them.  
"Oh, hey everyone, it's the Easter Kangaroo!" Jack shouted, right before he took off.  
"Oi! How many times am I going to have to tell you to stop calling me that!" Bunny shouted as he took off in hot pursuit.  
North chuckled, "Ah, they're at it again. Are you sure you can't get Jack to stop calling Bunny a kangaroo, Rapunzel?"  
"Now, now North, Jack is the Guardian of Fun, he of all people should have some fun," grinned Rapunzel.  
"She has a point, dear," Katherine glanced over her glasses at her husband.  
"And the reason why I chose him as a Guardian," said a voice. A bald man walked to their group.  
"Tsar Lunar!" Everyone bowed or curtsied to the Man in the Moon.  
"My friends, there is no reason for you to bow, or curtsy, in my presence. I chose you to help me defeat Pitch, which you have done numerous times. Besides, I felt it was my duty to come and congratulate Eugene for his marriage. Also, how is your marriage with Jack, Rapunzel?" He turned to the princess.  
She smiled, "We have our ups and downs, but we're doing well, thank you."  
"That's good. I didn't get to ask this, but now that you are the Guardian of Summer, how are you going to deal with the fact that your family will pass away while you will continue on forever?"  
She glanced over at Jack, who was making his way back to the group, "I will be sad for a while, for I do love my family. But I will not stay sad for long since I shall be with Jack, and the other Guardians. And I will be able to keep an eye on my kingdom long after my parents and siblings are gone." She smiled, "But, there is still time before I have to worry about that, so I will enjoy the time that I spend with them." Jack placed his hand on her shoulder, and pulled her into him, kissing the top of her head.  
The Tsar nodded. "Sounds like a good idea. Well, there are a few things I must speak to your parents about, so I shall see you later. Oh, and perhaps you can get started on finding a couple of people to take care of Spring and Autumn. They could be yours, if you want." He glanced down at Rapunzel's belly and winked before walking away. Everyone else glanced down at her belly, and Jack did a back-flip.  
Rapunzel put her hands on her hips, "What's wrong with having a baby, Jack Frost?"  
"Nothing, it's just, can we have a baby?"he wondered.  
She moved closer and batted her eyelashes, "Want to find out later?"  
He gave a smug little grin, "Sure, why not?" Then they kissed.  
"Oi, enough with the romance, it ain't your wedding today," grumbled Bunny.  
"Come on, we'd better go, the wedding's about to start," Katherine stated, as she and North walked into the room.  
"Yeah, we'd better, you know how Tooth is about these things. And as her maid-of-honor, you need to make sure she isn't stressing out about the littlest things," winked Jack.  
Rapunzel chuckled, "Quite true. Then I shall see you in a bit." He nodded, kissed her again, and the two separated to find their groups.  
Everyone knows that Pitch won't stay underground for long, but that is another story, for another time.


End file.
